Rome in the Rain

My first full day in Rome was a wet one indeed.  Grateful for my umbrella I set out, just as planned, and walked from my hotel near the Santa Maria Maggiore church and the central train station to the Campo di Fiori market.  It was not cold or windy, just wet.  The walk took me pass the Colliseum and part of the Forum and the Vittoriano.  Finally, I find the Campo di Fiori and am greeted on the right by a colorful array of flowers and flowering plants and on the left by a wagon loaded with monster sized pumpkins.  Too large to pick up, they were only on display with a sign for tourists warning not to touch!  There were special heirloom tomatoes, fat, round and looking a bit smooshed in the center and others that were red and green and shaped like fat bullets.  Zucchini blossoms, artichokes of all sizes, various types of chicory, wild porcini mushrooms, persimmons, figs, berries, chesnuts, beans, lettuces, and baby eggplants were all on offer.  There were a couple of butchers, a fish monger and several deli trucks, along with spices, dried fruit, dried tomatoes and olive vendors as well.  Ignored by one deli vendor, I chose the other and the kind woman gave me a taste of some cheeses and salumis.  I made my choices and also bought some olives.  Then I chose a couple of the pretty, smooshed looking tomatoes and some arugula.  If only I could find a bakery.  Bakeries were elusive to me, but my neighborhood had several good ones. 

From the Campo di Fiore I walked to the baroque Piazza Navona which is long and wide with large fountains and marble statues, Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers taking center stage.  Along the perimeter are fashionable cafes and restaurants.  I continued on the the Pantheon.  Due to the rain the center was roped off because the ceiling is open in the center.  Sitting near the altar you could look up and see the rain coming in through the center of the dome.  As the rain came in it became mist like, taking on an ethereal quality.

Ok, back out into the rain and I am making my way to the Amex office which is near the Spanish Steps.  At some point I noticed that my hand was numb from holding my umbrella and the bottoms of my pants were soaked.  Imagine how mad I was after leaving Amex.  Wet cat comes to mind.  Read below, if you haven't, because they take the bozo award for this trip.  Additionally the rates everywhere are horrible and the commissions are steep.  The rate I am getting on my Visa card is significantly better.

The Spanish steps are cool.  We ate at a restaurant near here when I was 12 and I remember the food being very good.  As I am photographing the steps, I notice that the Keats and Shelly museum is just on the right side.  My mother has stories of the museum always being closed when she has been here, so when I saw that it was open, I went in and saw the room where Keats died and appreciated all of the letters that have been saved.  It really helped to make up for the Amex annoyance.  At this point, tired and wet, I take the subway home to eat my picnic looking out onto my little courtyard and boning up on my world news with CNN.   Later that night I was awakened by an onslaught of torrential rain that sounded like a war was taking place outside with constant exploisions.  Much to my relief, whew, it was just a rainy night in Rome.